Baracael hoping to carry over fiery form into match against former team Alaska

Mac Baracael, pictured left celebrating with Rudy Hatfield on Sunday night, says he wants to show that Alaska made a mistake in trading him away before the conference. Jerome Ascano

BARANGAY Ginebra coach Alfrancis Chua had an inkling Marnel ‘Mac’ Baracael would deliver his best game in a Kings uniform on Sunday night.

And the sophomore swingman proved him right.

Tagged as the player most likely to wax hot by Chua before game time, Baracael didn't disappoint to help the Kings extend their winning streak to six games and, more importantly, book a ticket to the quarterfinals with a 91-90 win over Meralco in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Na-motivate lang kasi ako before the game sinabi ni coach na feeling niya puputok ako ngayon,” said Baracael, who was acquired from Alaska this conference in a five-team, 10-player mega-trade.

Although it was Kings import Vernon Macklin who sealed the victory by scoring the marginal basket, Baracael was just as big when the Gin Kings established a cushion in the fourth quarter where he scored 10 of his 17 points.